Day fifty four

Today's plate

What is the most technically difficult method of cooking?

Second day in the kitchen this week. Today it was all about dry heat cooking method - sauté. The menu was sautéed chicken breast with fine herb sauce, fresh egg pasta, and vegetables Jardiniere.

This menu looks really simple, however the most difficult method is saute. This is due to many things. The first thing is that you have to manage heat really carefully. If it's too high chicken will have grainy texture. If it's too low, instead of saute you will boil it. The next point is to determine doneness of the product. You do not want to overcook it, and in case of chicken undercook is not an option at all. Also,
the problem with saute is that you generally cook it to an order, you do not prepare the bunch of chicken breasts before service and reheat them.

Sautéed Chicken with Fines Herbes Sauce
makes 10 servings
10 boneless chicken supremes 7 to 8 oz each
2 tsp salt
1 tsp ground black pepper
3 oz all purpose flour (optional)
2 fl oz clarified butter of oil
1 oz minced shallot
4 fl oz dry white wine
20 fl oz Fines Herbes Sauce
4 oz Fines Herbes (even mix of parsley, chervil, chives, and tarragon)
Method
Blot the chicken dry and season with salt and pepper. Dredge in flour, if desired.
Heat the butter in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat until almost smoking.
Sauté the chicken on the presentation side until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Turn the chicken and continue to sauté until cooked through and juices are clear (160°F).
Remove the chicken from the pan and keep warm while completing the sauce. Degrease the pan.
Add the shallots and sauté them until translucent, about 1 minute.
Deglaze the pan with the wine. Reduce it until almost dry, about 3 minutes.
Add the fines herbes sauce, simmer briefly, and reduce to a nappé consistency.
Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper and stir in the fines herbes.
Serve the chicken immediately with the sauce.

Fines Herbes Sauce
Makes 32 fl oz
2 tbsp clarified butter
¾ oz minced shallots
9 fl oz dry white wine
6 oz Fines Herbes
20 fl oz Chicken Stock
4 Tbsp arrowroot starch
10 fl oz heavy cream
Salt, as needed
Ground black pepper, as needed
Method
Heat the butter in a small sauce pot over medium-high heat.
Add the shallots and sweat until translucent, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the wine and simmer at 180° to 185°F/82° to 85°C until nearly dry.
Add the chicken stock, bring back to a simmer, and reduce slightly.
Add arrowroot starch slurry (starch diluted in cold water), you may not need the whole amount, add gradually and check the consistency.
Add the cream and Fines Herbes and continue to simmer the sauce to reach a good flavor and consistency, skimming as necessary.
Season with salt and pepper. Strain the sauce. The sauce is ready to serve now, or may be rapidly cooled and refrigerated for later use.